Power tariff slashed by ₹2 per unit for domestic consumers
Rate reduced from ₹ 4.50 to ₹2.50 per unit on consumption of 200 units per month, for consumption up to 50 units, it will be ₹2 per unit; benefits announced up to 500unit consumption
CHANDIGARH: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday announced to reduce the power tariff from ₹4.50 to ₹2.50 per unit on consumption of 200 units in a month by domestic consumers.
In case the monthly electricity consumption is up to 50 units, the consumer will be charged ₹2 per unit, Khattar said on the floor of the Vidhan Sabha.
The move is clearly aimed at wooing the electorate ahead of the high-stakes Lok Sabha elections early next year and is expected to benefit 42 lakh families. Already in poll mode, the first ever BJP government in Haryana has started taking a plethora of populist steps.
Announcing yet another propeople step, Khattar said the government has decided to give free electricity connections to those dhanis across the state which are situated within one km of lal dora of villages.
Later in a statement, the government announced more sops to domestic power consumers that will benefit the consumers using power up to 500 units in a month.
The tariff up to 250 units will be Rs 3.05 per units instead of existing Rs 4.80 per unit. The consumers of up to 400 units will have to pay Rs 4.27 per unit against the existing rate of Rs 5.36 per unit.
Similarly, power consumption up to 500 units will be billed at Rs 4.68 per unit instead of existing rate of Rs 5.55 per unit.
Khattar announced to provide
Rs 677 crore subsidy to power utilities. He said revised electricity rates will be applicable from October 1, 2018. He also announced a scheme to settle pending electricity bills of defaulting domestic and non-domestic
consumers.
Under the scheme, the surcharge amount will be fully waived subject to the payment of principal amount in 12 monthly and six bimonthly installments.
For BPL consumers, the principal amount for 12 months only will be payable and the rest of the arrears will be waived off.
CONG DUBS IT ANOTHER ‘JUMLA’, POLITICAL GIMMICK, SAYS INLD
While the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Kiran Choudhry dismissed the government’s decision as “yet another jumla” and eyewash that will not give any relief to the people, the principal opposition party Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) said it was a “political gimmick”.
Meanwhile, amid thumping of desks by the treasury benches, Khattar described the reduction in power tariff as “historic” and said the reduced power tariff will ensure saving of Rs 437 per month to the consumers.
He said that with these announcements he has fulfilled his earlier promise to reduce the power tariff in the state.
Besides free electricity connection to the dhanis located within one km of lal dora of villages, Khattar said another scheme is also under the active consideration of the government under which a cluster of 11 houses within one km radius will be provided free electricity connection. “The aim of the state government is to ensure that each household in the state has electricity connection,” Khattar said.
The chief minister said the government is also considering to enhance the power supply to agricultural connections even as at present additional three-hour electricity supply is being ensured in morning and evening hours under the scheme.
Khattar told the House that the government has decided that the left out isolated houses in remote parts of the state will be provided electricity through renewable energy so that each household in state has the facility of electricity.
We will also give free power connections to those ‘dhanis’ across the state which are situated within one km of ‘lal dora’ of villages. MANOHAR LAL KHATTAR , CM